The Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is strengthening its fight against milk adulteration by introducing tighter food-safety requirements and end-to-end traceability across the milk supply chain. The new framework, issued under Food Safety Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe, extends regulatory scrutiny beyond retailers to milk producers, collection centres, dairy processing units, transporters, distributors, wholesalers and retailers, with the objective of tracking milk from collection through processing, transportation and final sale.
The move follows inspections that identified concerns including milk adulteration, synthetic milk production using chemicals, excessive antibiotic residues, hygiene failures and inadequate cold-chain management. Under the strengthened framework, businesses will be required to maintain traceability records, appropriate cold-chain conditions, food-grade equipment and food-safety management systems, while milk handlers will face greater accountability at each stage of the supply chain.
The FDA has also introduced specific labelling requirements for raw milk: containers must be clearly marked “RAW MILK” and carry instructions advising consumers to boil it before consumption, while pasteurised milk must be sold in sealed and properly labelled packs. Reported violations involving adulteration, fraudulent claims and illegal operations could attract penalties of up to ₹10 lakh, depending on the nature of the offence and applicable legal provisions, while repeat and high-risk offenders may face enhanced surveillance.
The initiative also places greater pressure on the loose-milk trade and fragmented supply chains, where multiple handling points can make traceability difficult, while stronger documentation, supplier identification, batch records, milk-testing records, transport documentation and temperature monitoring are expected to become increasingly important for dairy businesses.
The FDA plans intensified inspections during high-demand festival periods, including Ganeshotsav, Diwali, Holi, Navratri and Raksha Bandhan, when demand for milk, khoa, paneer, ghee and traditional sweets rises and the risk of adulteration can increase. The development comes amid a broader Maharashtra crackdown on food adulteration; in late May 2026, the FDA arrested 33 people, sealed 27 establishments and seized goods worth nearly ₹50 lakh during a statewide drive covering banned gutkha and food-adulteration offences.
For the organised dairy sector, the shift towards end-to-end traceability could increase compliance costs, particularly for smaller operators relying on manual records, but may also help legitimate dairies demonstrate control over milk quality, protect their brands and compete more fairly against businesses using adulteration or unsafe practices. The Maharashtra action signals a move from isolated product testing and raids towards supply-chain accountability, with sustained enforcement, laboratory capacity, inspection resources and practical compliance support likely to determine whether traceability becomes a permanent food-safety system.
Source: Dairynews7x7 11 Aug, 2026 Read full story here
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